Jason Dillard

Jason W. Dillard was a young man from Vero Beach whose life belonged first to family, friends and the neighborhood where he lived. Public records and local reporting identify him as a 19-year-old resident of the 3900 block of 45th Place in Vero Beach. Though details about his early life and personal interests are limited in the public record, the facts that are available show Jason as part of a tight-knit coastal Florida community.

Living in Indian River County, Jason shared the routines of many young people in the area — school, friendships and local gatherings — and his presence in the community was the reason his death drew attention and grief. Those who knew him or lived nearby would have recognized him as a local resident going about everyday life in Vero Beach and on the Treasure Coast.

On August 6, 2020, Jason’s life ended far too soon. He was taken to Lawnwood Regional Medical Center & Heart Institute in Fort Pierce and was pronounced dead that day. The shooting was reported by local news outlets and the Fort Pierce Police Department asked for public help as they investigated. While the circumstances of his death are part of public records and news reporting, they do not define the whole of Jason’s life. He was a real person with family, neighbors and friends who are left with memories of him beyond the headlines.

Because the public record and regional reporting provide few personal details beyond his age, residence and the date he died, this remembrance focuses on acknowledging Jason as a young man from Vero Beach whose life mattered. Those who loved him remember him privately; this page aims to honor that dignity by centering his identity as a member of his community rather than the manner of his passing. If you have memories, photographs, or family-approved remembrances you would like added here, contributing them can help round out a fuller portrait of Jason’s life and the people who cherished him.